Friday, May 10, 2002 | 4:05 a.m.
In his May 5 commentary, Mayor Oscar Goodman has the chutzpah to claim himself to be the fearless champion of homeless people. The truth is that his policy has been to vilify, harass and chase homeless people in hopes that they will just leave town and go somewhere else. He continues to tell the lie that beds are available for those who want them. The 103-bed shelter he speaks of (which would actually consist of mats on the floor) at the Salvation Army is still not open, yet that did not stop the mayor from chasing homeless people from their encampments on A Street and Owens Avenue last weekend.
The Homelessness Task Force the mayor refers to is a sham that seeks only to displace local government responsibility to private charity. Most of the money devoted to direct provision for the homeless in the Las Vegas budget comes from the federal government.
But perhaps even more shameful than the mayor's hostile behavior and rhetoric is the silence of other government leaders. Gov. Kenny Guinn is aware of the mayor's persecution of homeless people, and of their needs, but has said and done nothing. Members of the Las Vegas City Council have not spoken out. Almost all of our Clark County commissioners have remained silent. Congresswoman Shelley Berkley has expressed no moral outrage, nor have our U.S. or state senators voiced any opposition. Above all else, it is such silence that allows evil to triumph in our valley in the form of neglect and abuse of homeless people.
LEROY H. PELTON Editor's note: The writer is a professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas' School of Social Work.
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